Performance - News and events

Events | Featured projects | Call for entries | Announcements

Events

The Brian Stacey Award at the Helpmann Awards Ceremony - Sydney

27 July 2009

The Brian Stacey Award, launched in 2002, targets Australian emerging conductors of music theatre, ballet, opera and classical music genres worthy of further assistance to enable them to gain opportunity to broaden their musical knowledge and gain further valuable experience. The winner will be chosen from entries submitted to the Musical Advisory Committee, who will make their recommendations for nominees/winner and the Brian Stacey Memorial Trustees will then choose the winner.  The winner will be presented with a $6,000 prize plus appear at the Helpmann Awards Ceremony in Sydney.

An Accolade Production by Sue Rider, The Pink Twins - Brisbane

pink twins

Pink Twins. Image courtesy of Queensland Performing Art Centre.

22 July - 1 August 2009

The Pink Twins is an original work of music theatre about twins, eccentricity, and the desire to do good. They dressed in pink, accessorised in pink, lived in a pink house, and drove a pink car. The twins also made a difference to the lives of thousands of people with disabilities through their long-term commitment to the Sunshine Welfare and Remedial Association (SWARA). Queensland Performing Art Centre

Quantum Leap and choreographers, Select Option - Canberra

29 July - 1 August 2009

Canberra's Quantum Leap youth dance ensemble and choreographers Brian Lucas (Qld), Liz Lea (London), Marko Panzic (So You Think You Can Dance) and Reed Luplau (Sydney Dance Company) with Artistic Director Ruth Osborne have developed a new 2-act dance work: Select Option. This is a stunning dance performance of unusual intensity and depth. Video producers Bearcage Productions will create a video set which envelops the action, and there will be an original music score by young Australian composers. Canberra Theatre.

Baby Boomer Blues - national

Baby Boomer Blues

Baby Boomer Blues. Image courtesy of Perth theatre.

8 June – 23 August 2009

Baby Boomer Blues is a tongue-in-cheek look at a baby boomer couple's search for fulfillment. When Bob's business fails, he takes time out to reassess his existence while his wife, Carol, plays the breadwinner. Various locations.

The Impro Cave - Melbourne

21 June – 30 August 2009

Impro Melbourne's Impro Cave season is one of exploration and adventure. New show formats are premiered at every performance alongside classic audience favourites. Plus Sideshow Spontanial in July gives budding junior ensemble members the chance to strut their stuff on stage. Don't Tell Tom Bar & Café.

Sound Summit - Newcastle, New South Wales

1 - 5 October 2009

Sound Summit exists to support brilliant independent artists, labels and people that work and play in the world of electronic and hip-hop music from both Australia and abroad. Sound Summit 2009 is directed by Eliza Sarlos and Andrew Tuttle.

The Crack Theatre Festival - Newcastle, New South Wales

1 - 5 October 2009

The Crack Theatre Festival (CTF) is a new national theatre arts festival and forum as part of the This Is Not Art festival. In 2009 the CTF will feature a three day program of performances, forums, and workshops that profile the diverse styles and forms within contemporary Australian theatre. Crack Theatre Festival 2009 is directed by David Finnigan and Gillian Schwab

Australian String Quartet 2009 season - national

10 March – 30 October 2009

The Australian String Quartet unveils its 2009 National Season - a program of big romantic works, music by Australian composers and guest artists including internationally acclaimed Australian violist and composer Brett Dean and the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition winner. The 2009 program encompasses well-loved works from the Central European tradition; from Beethoven to Haydn, Bartok, Arriaga and Schumann, as well as music from some of Australia's best-known and regarded composers. The current membership of Sophie Rowell and Anne Horton, violins, Sally Boud, viola, and Rachel Johnston, cello was established in 2006.

Australian Ballet 2009 Season

Lucinda Dunn and Adam Bull, Australian BalletLucinda Dunn and Adam Bull. Image courtesy of The Australian Ballet.

January – December 2009

With the debut of the famed Ballets Russes in Paris in 1909, a treasure trove of Eastern European fables and exotica came to the West. Firebird and other legends is three spellbinding Ballets Russes works to mark the centenary of their explosive debut. This marks the beginning of the Australian Ballet 2009 season.

Featured projects

Cautionary Tales From The Diamond Forest - Melbourne

April 2009

Cautionary Tales are a three piece from Melbourne comprising artists Carisa Bianca Mellado, Adam Hunt and Andrew Bennett. Cautionary Tales From The Diamond Forest is an electro pop rock interpretation of the story that follows Red Riding Hood's journey into the forest. It explores themes surrounding innocence, sexuality, temptation and personal freedom, told through the eyes of Red Riding Hood. The band got together for one show in October 2008 and decided to record and produce an EP. Coinciding with Mellado's temporary return to Australia, the group will reunite and launch the EP on 3 April.

Call for entries

Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition

Entries until 30 September 2009. Winner announced 30 November 2009.

Named after iconic Australian songwriters, Harry Vanda and George Young; the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition is presented by APRA and AMCOS in support of music therapy charity, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia. Full proceeds of the AUD $50 /USD $40 per song entry fee will go directly to support this activities of the charity in using music’s interactive and participatory nature as an agent for change and healing.

Sound Quality - online

Ongoing

Sound Quality is a program about music that does not need to fit into a genre to be understood and doesn't need the support of peers to sound good. New sounds and genres have found their way on to Radio National through Sound Quality. If you make or market music that needs an airing, sign up and upload to Pool. Tag it sound quality, and it'll be listened to, commented on, and might be used in the program.

ACT Dance Teacher Registration - Canberra

Ongoing

Ausdance ACT introduces a new service called ACT Dance Teacher Register. This is being introduced for individual teachers in response to the high volume of enquiries received from studios seeking teachers. If you wish to be included on this register please download the ACT Dance Teacher Register Form and return to Ausdance ACT. This is a free service and will be regularly updated.

Announcements

2009 Geoffrey Parsons Award Winner Announced

9 July 2009

The Accompanists’ Guild of SA announced the winners of its Geoffrey Parsons Award. It was typical of the spirit in which Geoffrey assisted young musicians that the Guild competition had the very generous participation of the distinguished artist Natsuko Yoshimoto with whom all finalists rehearsed and performed. The 2009 winners were: First Prize ($3,000) Mark Sandon (Gilberton, SA), Second Prize ($600) Chris Lian-Lloyd (Paradise, SA) and Third Prize ($400) Janice Jialuo Tan (Windsor Gardens, SA).

Winners of the APRA Music Awards

gurrumul yunupingu

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.

23 June

The 2009 winners of the APRA Music Awards were announced in Melbourne. Song of the Year was White Noise by The Living End (guitarist/singer Chris Cheney, bassist Scott Owen and drummer Joe Piripitzi). Songwriters of the Year were Kim Moyes & Julian Hamilton – The Presets. The APRA Breakthrough Songwriter Award went to Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. The Ted Albert Award For Outstanding Services to Australian Music went to Denis Handlin AM, Chairman of SONY BMG Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand and also the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

2009 Australian Dance Awards winners

9 June 2009

Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lucette Aldous who was a student of Frances Scully in Sydney before partnering with Rudolf Nureyev in his filmed production of Don Quixote for The Australian Ballet in 1972. Lee Christofis, currently the Curator of Dance at the National Library of Australia, won the Award for Services to Dance. Tracks dance from the Northern Territory won the Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance. Tanja Liedkte, appointed director of Sydney Dance Company in 2007, (d. 2007) won two awards for Outstanding Achievement and her choreographed piece 'construct' also won the Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for Kristina Chan. Force Majeure won the Outstanding Performance by a Company.

Chair of Music Board announced

14 May 2009

Arts Minister Peter Garrett has announced the appointment of Dr Matthew Hindson AM who will chair the Music Board. Dr Hindson brings more than 25 years of experience composing orchestral, ensemble, chamber, piano and choral music to the Music Board. Dr Hindson is renowned in Australia and around the world for the quality, variety and complexity of his compositions.

$3.75m to help redevelop Flying Fruit Fly Circus building in Albury

Photograph of a hoopdive in action from the Flying Fruit Fly Circus

Hoopdive, The Flying Fruit Fly Circus. Photograph by PRPIX

1 May 2009

Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese and Arts Minister Peter Garrett announced the Rudd Labor Government would offer up to $3.75 million to help redevelop the training centre of the internationally-recognised Flying Fruit Fly Circus in Albury. Minister Garrett made the announcement in Albury and also helped celebrate the organisation's 30th Birthday with Albury City Mayor Patricia Gould, City of Wodonga Mayor Mark Byatt and Chris Pidd, General Manager of the Flying Fruit Fly Circus.

Playing Australia : 16 arts companies to tour the country

7 April 2009

Arts Minister Peter Garrett announced $3.153 million in Playing Australia funding for 16 arts companies to tour live performances across the country. This funding will ensure audiences in regional communities have access to performances by some of Australia's best performing arts companies.

Minister launches world-class facilities for the Australian Ballet School

1 April 2009

Arts Minister Peter Garrett launched refurbished facilities at the Australian Ballet School, and took the opportunity to help celebrate the School's 45th anniversary. The much-needed refurbishments include studio upgrades, expanded student change room facilities, new health areas and classrooms.

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